Relay Node Selection for Wireless Terminal Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communications networks face challenges in supporting a wide range of devices, including low complexity devices, machine type communication devices, and wearable devices, due to the need for efficient device-to-device (D2D) communications and coverage in various environments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of relay nodes that act as intermediaries between remote devices and infrastructure equipment, using a common resource pool and relay-specific resource pools for efficient measurement, synchronization, and communication, allowing for the selection of suitable relay nodes based on signal characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If relay nodes are introduced to extend coverage and support remote devices, then network coverage and device support capability are improved, but device complexity and resource management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Relay nodes are introduced as intermediary devices between remote terminal devices and infrastructure equipment. These relay nodes receive signals from remote devices and forward them to the network, extending coverage to areas where direct communication is not possible. The relay nodes act as mediators that simplify the communication path for remote devices while managing the complexity of network integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The network is segmented into direct-coverage areas and extended-coverage areas served by relay nodes. Terminal devices are categorized into those that can communicate directly with infrastructure equipment and those that require relay nodes. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by handling different device types and communication paths separately, with relay nodes specifically managing the extended coverage segment.
2Productivity
If multiple resource pools are used for relay-specific communications, then communication efficiency and signal quality are improved, but resource management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Resource pools are segmented into common resource pools shared by all devices and relay-specific resource pools dedicated to relay node communications. This segmentation allows efficient allocation of resources by dedicating specific pools to relay operations, improving communication efficiency for relayed devices while maintaining organized resource management through clear separation of purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
Common resource pools serve multiple functions by being shared among both direct-communication devices and relay nodes, while relay-specific resource pools provide specialized support for relay operations. This multi-functionality approach allows the system to balance resource utilization efficiency with targeted support for relay communications, managing complexity through hierarchical resource organization.
3Area of stationary object
If relay nodes are deployed in remote and indoor locations, then coverage in challenging environments is improved, but signal quality and communication reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Relay nodes deployed in remote and indoor locations serve as intermediaries that receive weak signals from terminal devices in challenging environments and forward them to infrastructure equipment with better signal conditions. This intermediary approach extends coverage to indoor and remote areas while the relay nodes themselves, being closer to the network infrastructure, can maintain more reliable communication links.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a spatial dimension to coverage by deploying relay nodes at intermediate locations between terminal devices and infrastructure equipment. This creates a multi-hop communication path that bypasses the limitations of direct line-of-sight communication in indoor and remote environments, improving coverage while managing signal quality through strategic relay placement.
4Speed
If terminal devices communicate directly with infrastructure equipment, then communication speed is improved, but power consumption increases for remote devices
Solution Approach 1:
Relay nodes act as intermediaries that terminal devices can communicate with instead of directly with infrastructure equipment. This reduces the transmission distance and power requirement for terminal devices, especially those in remote locations. The relay nodes, being closer to the network infrastructure, handle the longer-distance communication, thereby balancing power consumption across the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication architecture allows terminal devices to select the most appropriate communication path based on their local conditions. Devices in remote or power-constrained environments can use relay nodes for low-power communication, while devices with better signal conditions can communicate directly for higher speed. This local quality approach optimizes the balance between power consumption and communication speed based on device-specific conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A terminal device for use with a wireless telecommunications system, the terminal device comprising: a transmitter; a receiver configured to receive a measurement radio signal from each of one or more potential relay nodes of the wireless telecommunications system, each measurement radio signal being transmitted using the same predetermined radio frequency band and identifying the one of the potential relay nodes from which it is transmitted; and a controller configured: to measure a characteristic of each received measurement radio signal indicative of the suitability of the potential relay node associated with that measurement radio signal for acting as a relay node for relaying a further radio signal between the terminal device and infrastructure equipment of the wireless telecommunications system, and based on each received measurement radio signal and its measured characteristic, to determine a suitable one of the one or more potential relay nodes for acting as a relay node for relaying the further radio signal between the terminal device and the infrastructure equipment, and to control one of the transmitter to transmit the further radio signal to the infrastructure equipment via the determined relay node and the receiver to receive the further radio signal from the infrastructure equipment via the determined relay node.